Game apparatus.



J. E. CHURCH.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1. 1915.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET! COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COJWASHINGTDN. D. c.

J. E. CHURCH.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1. 1915.

1,156,667. Patented Oct. 12, 1915..

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JAMES E. CHURCH, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME APPARATUS.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application filed February'l, 1915. Serial No. 5,394.

To allxwhomc't may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. CHURCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

This invention has reference to improvements in game apparatus having fields on which various positions relating to winning or'losing scores are depicted.

The object of this invention is to provide game apparatus having or provided with a series of interchangeable fields whereby with a single apparatus adapted to move or impel a :series of markers or devices a series of games may be played.

Another object of the invention-is to provide a novelgame apparatus.

Other objects of the invention will appear from;the following description. 7

The invention consists in the novel constructionof the field carrying means adapted to receive interchangeable fields.

The invention also consists in the novel means for propelling or moving the markers relative to the field.

The invention also consistsin such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as shall hereinafter be more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1, represents a plan View of the improved game apparatus parts of the same being broken awayto disclose some of the mechanism. Fig. 2, represents a sectional v1ew,as:taken on line 22 Fig. 1. Fig. 3, represents a side view of the same 1n the .open position to permit the changing of a field. Fig. 4, represents-a sectional view taken on line l4 Fig. 1. Fig. 5, represents a plan view of the field carrier or member disassociated from the casing and having a field arranged for a different game from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6, represents an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6- -6 Fig. 1 of a portion of one of the fields to show the pockets or receptacles thereof and the markers preferably used with said-apparatus. Fig. 7 represents a plan sectional view of portions of the device astaken on .line 77 Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.

In game apparatus in which fields having the conventional appearance of base ball,-

racing or other fields and mechanical means for moving or propelling markers over said fields it is desirable and economical to provide apparatus having provision whereby a series of interchangeable fields may be utilized with a single means for propelling said markers. By this improvement a great variety of games can be played with a single device for. moving or propelling the markers.

Tn carrying this invention into practice I provide the casing 5 having the compartment 6, the annular Wall 7, open at its bottom and the field supporting or carrier member Shinged to one side of the case 5 and having on its upper surface the registering devices 9, 9 and10, 10. Case 5 preferably is provided with the panel 11 of glass or. other suitable transparent material. T he compartment 6 is a receptacle for the frame 12 having the shaft 13 journ-aled in I bearings of its walls and having the tongue 14 and at one end, exterior of the casing 5, the thumb nut 15 and at the other end, interiorly of the wall 7 the bent end 16, to one surface of which end 16 and to the adjacent portion of shaft 13 is secured the plate 17 for which said end 16 constitutes a raised or projecting edge or Wall. The spring 18, which has one end bearing against the frame 12 and embraces and is secured to the tongue 14, tends constantly to rotate the shaft 13 to swing the lower or free edge of plate 17 in the propelling direction.

Provision is made by the use of the spring latch plate 19 to engage thetongue 14. of said shaft 13 in order, at times, to prevent 'suchrotation of shaft 13 by the spring 18 and provisionis also made to release said latch 19 from said tongue 14, this latter provision comprising the spring arm 20, fixed at one end to the .mensions and shape so that when a field is brought into registry therewith, on the field carrier 8, such field will be in correct position relative to the marker propelling or moving device constituted by the plate 17. It is my intention to use any known device or devices to effect such positioning of the interchangeable fields. Thesefields may be of any suitable material and preferably have on their surface or surfaces, conventional representations of base-ball, racing or other fields and at suitable points in such fields are located pockets, holes or other devices C, C adapted, by reason of their shape or construction, to receive and to retain or to tend to retain suitable markers or members which are adapted by their locations relative to such pockets to indicate that the score arbitrarily associated with such pockets should be awarded to said marker or markers.

The particular markers used with the propelling mechanism herein shown are the balls or marbles M, M of which one or more may be used. These markers M, M should be of a size that when placed on the field A or B they will extend above the lower edge of the propelling device, plate 17, as is indicated in Fig. 2, whereby the swinging of said plate may effect the movement of said mately as follows: Any desired field is placed in position on the field support 8 in registry with the devices 9, 9 and 10, 10. 1f the field A, shown in Fig. 1, is used the game to be played may be called base-ball from the fact that a base-ball field is represented thereon. The number of markers M, M may represent the number of players on a side and the game may be modified by changing the number of markers. The markers M, M are placed on the field A or B when the casing 5'is in the open position shown in Fig. 3

. i and the casing is then closed, The thumb nut 15 is now rotated to swing the propelling device, plate 17, to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 at which the tongue 14 is engaged by the spring latch 19 and, by tipping the casing, the markers or balls M, M are rolled to the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 7 againstthe lower edge of plate 17, the end 16 of shaft 13 constituting a stop for preventingthe markers M, M from moving beyond the end of said plate 17. Casing 5 is now placed in a level position and the button 23 is depressed whereby the member 20 is operated to' depress the spring latch 19 7 and thus to release the tongue 1%. Spring 18 is now permitted to act to rotate shaft 13 whereby plate 17 is swung suddenly upward and in its movement strikes and propels the markers-lei, M over the surface of the field. As such markers are confined within the annular wall 7 and are propelled against said wall by the action of the propelling device these markers move in circular paths until their momentum decreases. During such movement the markers may pass over any of the pockets C, C or, as their momentum decreases they may be received partially or wholly by some of such pockets depending somewhat on the relative sizes or shapes of the pockets and the markers. The score is determined by the positions of the markers when they come to rest. For instance, if one of the markers rests in one of the pockets through which line 6-6 is drawn it may be considered that the player represented by such marker is out on strikes; another marker seated in or on the pocket C may in 'dicate a home run, a third marker in or on pocket C may indicate a player out at second base and so on. In practice alarge 7 number of the interchangeablefields are or may be supplied from time to time for use in one of these propelling devices so that the interest of the operator may be maintained 9 lndefinltely. The wall constitutesabound- 5 ary within wnich the markers M, M are confined during operation The primary object of the casing 5 'is to provide sustaining means for the marker propelling device and to provide means whereby the interchangeable fields may be mounted in correct positions relative to said'boundary and said propelling means. It is therefore evident that the construction and relationof these parts may be varied considerably from that shown in the drawings without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

1. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a boundary, a game field releasably associated with said boundary, and means for moving markers within said boundary.

2. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a boundary, a game field releasably associated with said boundary, and spring actuated means for operating markers within said boundary.

3. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a boundary, a field support associated with said boundary and having field positioning and registering means, a field removably associated with said support, and means for movably operating markers within said boundary.

4. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a boundary, a field support mounted to swing relative to said boundary and having field positioning and registering means, fields adapted to be interchangeably mounted on said support, and means for movably operating markers Within said boundary.

5. Game apparatus of the nature de- 7. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a casing having a marker confining Wall, a game field, means adapted to be releasably engaged with said field for positioning said field relative to said Wall, and a marker moving element extending substantially parallel With said field when said field is in position. I

8. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a casing having a substantially annular wall, a field support associated with said casing and having means for positioning a field, a field removably associated With said support, and a marker moving device having a member adapted to operate on markers Within said Wall.

9. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a casing having a substantially annular Wall, a member hinged to said Wall and having a registering device, a field removably mounted on said member and adapted to register With said device, and a marker moving mechanism having a member operating Within said Wall.

10. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a casing having a substantially annular Wall, a propelling device having a spring rotated shaft extending through said Wall, means for locking said shaft against the action of its spring, releasing means for said locking means, and a game field associated With said wall.

11. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a casing having a hinged member and an annular Wall, a field carried by said member and underlying said Wall, and a marker moving mechanism mounted relative to said Wall and having a marker moving gate operating Within said Wall.

12. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a casing, a field carried by a member of said casing, a boundary embracing the playing surface of said field, a marker propelling mechanism having a spring rotated shaft having a swinging gate Within said Wall, and means for locking said shaft against the action of its spring at times. I

13. Game apparatus of the nature described comprising a field having pockets in its surface, a boundary removably overlying said field, means for propelling markers over said field, and markers freely movable over said field and adapted to be at least partially received by said pockets.

JAMES E. CHURCH.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. lVhLLER, ESTHER C. MURPHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of' Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

